Ask the Insiders: Putting the Last Nails in the Coffin

[iceman]

This thread is dedicated to asking questions of industry insiders who have graciously taken the time to participate here. While we understand that at times there will be discussion among readers here, we request that readers use their judgement in taking more involved discussions to a new thread, particularly if it's covering a larger topic.

Before asking a question, please skim at least the last weeks worth of posts in order to make sure that the question hasn't already been asked or answered. Please also avoid asking "chicken little" questions or asking when unannounced titles will come out.

As of 11/01/2007, the following individuals are known and vetted insiders that are participating here in one form or another:

Insiders:

2themax - BD authoring and compression insider - Track posts
Bill Hunt - The Digital Bits - Track posts
drmpeg - Compression Engineer - Track posts
Fox Executive - Fox - Track posts
kjack - Sigma Designs - Intro - Track posts
Maxpower1987 - Finance - Track posts
paidgeek - Sony Pictures Entertainment - Intro - Track posts
Penton-Man - Hollywood - Track posts
RBFilms - R&B Films, Ltd - Track posts
Robert Harris - Motion Picture Archivist - Track posts
Sir Terrence - Sound/Audio - Track posts
TalkStr8t - Unspecified - Intro - Track posts

Our original Insiders Thread began on January 17th, 2007, and ran until December 16th, 2007. It accumulated over 7200 posts in which a great number of interesting revelations, discussions and discoveries were made. We recommend browsing it both for an understanding of what the events of 2007 have been like but also to see what kind of posts and discussions work in this kind of thread. You can find that discussion here.

Our second insiders thread, Ask the Insiders: Judgement Day Edition, began on December 16th, 2007, and ran until January 11th 2008. It accumulated over 3000 posts, however, due to the nature of the format war and pre- and post-CES expectations, it contains quite a lot of gossip and speculations, but we still recommend browsing it.

Thank you to the folks mentioned above for their participation in those threads and to the readers of Blu-ray.com for following the stricter rules and guidelines of this thread.

[iceman]

Please think twice before posting in this thread. Going off-topic and just posting "lolz11" or "+1" or anything non-constructive will lead to infractions or even suspensions(!)

We don't intend to be "mean" or harsh, but we want this thread to be as readable as possible and contain relevant and interesting posts. This is the insiders thread, not the members thread.

Speculations about when Universal and Paramount will come aboard does not belong to this thread, unless an insider brings it up first. Universal and Paramount will come aboard, but if you still feel a need to speculate, please use any of the "gossip" threads, but not this thread.

Thank you and enjoy!

[sj001]

Originally Posted by Iceman

Please think twice before posting in this thread. Going off-topic and just posting "lolz11" or "+1" or anything non-constructive will lead to infractions or even suspensions(!)

We don't intend to be "mean" or harsh, but we want this thread to be as readable as possible and contain relevant and interesting posts. This is the insiders thread, not the members thread.

Speculations about when Universal and Paramount will come aboard does not belong to this thread, unless an insider brings it up first. Universal and Paramount will come aboard, but if you still feel a need to speculate, please use any of the "gossip" threads, but not this thread.

Thank you and enjoy!

Just a question on these threads. What is the purpose of this main thread, versus all of the individual threads?
Great ideas separating out the Insiders individually by the way.

[dialog_gvf]

If you want to ask more than one insider the same question, put it here.

We don't want people posting the same question in every insider section.

Gary

[sj001]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

If you want to ask more than one insider the same question, put it here.

We don't want people posting the same question in every insider section.

Gary

OK, gotcha. Thanks!

[CptGreedle]

So does this mean we are getting rid of the old Insiders thread and going with these new ones?
Sounds like a good idea to me.

Well then, I suppose the first thing I would like to ask would be if any insiders can shed some light on what the BDA plans to do for their next move, publicly. Since Toshiba is targeting consumers as a good up-converting drive and dropping their prices, will the BDA respond with a new marketing strategy as well?

[Midwest]

Insiders,

What impact do you feel the custom installation industry has had or will continue to have in this format war?

[jkwest]

This is for any insider who care to respond...

Everyone and their mom seems to have turned their focus onto steaming content and/or downloading it. Hell, even Steve Jobs announced being able to rent movie via iTunes. How much of a real factor is this in today's market?

I live 3 hours from the supossedly Tech Hub of the Silicon valley, but, I can't get anything better than dialup.

[DaViD Boulet]

I've heard (insider) reports that the cost overhead of full 2.0 BD-live compatibility over the new profile 1.1 mandate is not that high. Any chance that the BDA would consider making mandatory?

How does the BDA respond to Warner and Universal who claim that not having standardized feature-compatibility in playback hardware is a hinderence to the studio's provision of features on HDM and a frustration for consumers who don't understand that not all BD players "do everything" that's in the BD spec?

[CAB]

G'day all,

I've noticed the change to just the top sticker under the shrink wrap on all vendors but one. Does anyone have a contact at Lionsgate to pass on the tip? The one on the bottom annoys me the most because the cover art paper can slip down under the plastic cover and tends to adhere to the sticker during shipment resulting in some of the paper staying with the sticker upon removal.

Thanks in advance and thanks for all yawl's great work

[mystiksuicide]

Yes those security stickers on the sides can ruin a case. Lionsgate needs to be made aware of this.

[elwaylite]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Making 2.0 mandatory would be a waste of everybody's time and money. Few people will use the internet features on future Blu-ray discs ans discs with these features will be labelled as such so people without Live players know that they won't be able to access them.

I completely agree Max, I think HDDVD guys just use it as an unfair whipping stick. I could have cared less about 1.1, Im all about the MOVIE.

Question for insiders:

Do you feel there is validity to Toshiba's stalling the war for a few month's even though they know its over? This is in an attempt to get Sony to pay them to drop the format so BD can move on.

Or do you feel that Toshiba really still feels it can win?

I just hate the fact people are going to buy these "overpriced" upconverters.

[Kirsty_Mc]

From my memory Toshiba was the first to bail out from the Betamax camp. In the Betamax camp were Sony, Sanyo, NEC and Toshiba (at least in Europe).

The second to bail was NEC (now HD-DVD), followed by Sanyo and then eventually Sony. Perhaps Toshiba is a bit wary of bailing out on formats these days given the disaster of VHS.

Right lesson... wrong format .

[CptGreedle]

Any insiders care to comment about the recent reports that Digital Playground has just dropped HD DVD?
Or the rumor that Borders has dropped HD DVD?

[jason_grumpy]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Toshiba still feel they can make a significant dent in Blu-ray, forcing other companies to put HD DVD legacy playback in their devices as standard (it's all about the royalties...).

Max,

Are you implying that Toshiba has the gall to force Blu standalone's to release only dual format machine for royalties, or that they will force existing DVD manufactures to make all future machines from here on out as HD-DVD players?

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

That one.

They are ridiculous. I think Sony will have to pay off Toshiba afterall. No one will want to pay 2 royalty fees for this!

[scott1256ca]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_grumpy View Post
Max,

Are you implying that Toshiba has the gall to force Blu standalone's to release only dual format machine for royalties, or that they will force existing DVD manufactures to make all future machines from here on out as HD-DVD players?

That one.
__________________

How can Toshiba force manufacturers of BD players to include HD DVD support? Do you mean by saying "dvd players may not play BD's"? If so, I can see some lawsuits coming out of that.

[DaViD Boulet]

Fascintaing about Toshiba's strategy to push the BDA to make all hardware "dual format" to keep a royalty stream.

I hope that does NOT happen. Talk about cost-overheads for no good reason. Manufacturers who want to provide dual-playback, of course, can always do so.

Are you pretty confident that this is their objective? Is that why they are continuing to push so hard with their last breath in the market? How likely do you think a pay-off could be to end this cleanly?

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by scott1256ca

How can Toshiba force manufacturers of BD players to include HD DVD support? Do you mean by saying "dvd players may not play BD's"? If so, I can see some lawsuits coming out of that.

No, he means Toshiba hopes to move enough HD DVD hardware and software in the next few months that BD player manufacturers feel it would be in their best interest to include the ability to play back HD DVDs, and thus forcing them to pay Toshiba royalties on the hardware.

With all the reports of stacks of returned HD DVD players appearing in stores all over the country, I don't think this scheme is going to work. The word is out that HD DVD is dead, and if you still have a library of HD DVD titles, there are players to be had for cheap all over eBay and at your local retailer, so there's no need for all players to be dual-format.

[undrafted]

Originally Posted by scott1256ca

How can Toshiba force manufacturers of BD players to include HD DVD support? Do you mean by saying "dvd players may not play BD's"? If so, I can see some lawsuits coming out of that.

I don't think he was saying they could legally force anything. But if HD DVD gets enough market penetration or can keep a major studio exclusive, Blu-ray manufacturers might feel compelled by market forces to include HD DVD support.